Bread slicing machine



`Ian. 2, 1940. H. J. R1|\ |y Rk 2,185,835'

` BREAD sLICING MACHINE Filed May 2o, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 E INVENTOR.

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f i ATTORNEYAS',

nl) y y Jan. 2, 1940. H. J. cRlNi-:R 2,185,835

BREAD SLICING MACHINE Filed May 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS' Patentedjan. 2, 194() UNITED-STATES BREAD SLICING MACHINEy y Harry J. Criner, Davenports Iowa,r assigner of one-half to A. G. Bush, Davenport, Iowa l AppIicationI'MayIZI), 1939, Serial No.7274f751 fis Claims. (orina- 88) My invention relates to bread slicing machines oi the band-bladev type, having either a plurality` of endless band-blades or a continuous band-blade reeved over spaced pulleys to form a plurality of loops and cutting courses.

The objects oi my invention are to provide improved means for carrying and directing the bandblades; for twisting and guiding the cutting courses of the blades; for directing and simultaneously adjusting the relative spacing of the cutting courses ofthe blades; for adjusting the spacing of the upper and lower guide assemblies relative to themselves and to` the bladeV carrying drums; and improved adjusting and spacing means for the cutting courses of the blades.

I attain these objects-by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-v

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine look` ing at it from the right of Figure 2;

Figure 2 isan end view of my machine;

Figures 3, 4 and5 are diagrammatic views showing alternative forms for the arrangement of the carrying and guiding drums, in section lon the middle line of the drums;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail-,plan View of the lower guide assembly and Figure 7 is an enlarged detail end View of such guide assembly, showing parts broken away;

Figure 8 is a detail diagrammatic or plan View showing the diverse angles of the upper and lower carrying drums when laterally inclined in opposite directions, and with the variation n diameter of the drums exaggerated for clearness of illustration.

Similar vnumerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

one of which'may be revolvable and carry a beltwheel ISa on the outer end thereof adjacent theA frame to drive such shaft.

Upon the shafts are mounted'` drums I3, I5, I'I and I9 which, in the case of xed shafts, may be revolvably mounted thereon and in the case of revolvable shafts, may be keyed to the shafts so as to revolve'therewith. These drums are arranged in inner and outer pairs., A plurality of band-blades 2I-22 are mounted upon the outer pair of drums and are driven thereby. l The inner ordeflecting drumsISand. Il are spaced apart the drums.

and are parallel to the outer drums I3`and` I9 re `spectively adjacent thereto and may be `mounted in line vertically with their respective adjacent outer drums vas shown in Figures 1 and 4 or offset yslightly as shown in Figure and ,5.

The inner drums may comprise asingle pair of inner `drums'as inFiguresL 2, f 3-and 4', or two upper inner drums I5-I5 and two lower `inner drtuns I'I-Il' may be utilized as shown in Fig- The upperV drums are mounted atan acute `angle to the transverse axis of the :machineas clearly shown in rFigurel 8, and the lowerdrums Aare `mounted atvan'acute angley to the vtransverse axis ofthe machine, but arepreierably inclined laterally in a direction opposite to thelateral in# -clination of the upper drums.

The outer`- drums I3 and I9 are so'mounted that their middle points lie in a1 line parallel to the `vertical side frame.v In orderv to allow for the vVariation in the distance between they middle.'

of Vtliedrumsand between the outer vends ofthe drums due to their' different lateral inclinations, the outer ends ofthe drums are constructediwith a slightly smaller diameter than the middle'points o'f thedrums andthe variation in diameterprogresses regularly from the middle to Athe ends of The intermediate or deflecting drums may` be constructed with a` corresponding variation in' diameter or they may be constructed of uniform diameter from end to end asl desired'.

With either construction indicated, .itis obvious that the angle of lateral inclination of the inner drumswill cause the portions of the seriesy 'of blades passing to or from the upperv inner drum to travel ina plane standing atan acute angle toa similargplane on'the transverse axis vofr the machine and willlikewise causethe portions of the series of blades passing tov or from the'lower drum to travel Vin an: oppositely laterallyfinclined plane. Theeiect of this inclination is to reduce the amount of twisting ofy the bladesrequired to causethe cutting v'courses thereof to vtravel in` planes at right angles to the transverse axes of the machine and'this reduction of anglais accomplished Whether the cutting coursesfof the j blades are vcrossedasbin Figures 1 ande, or the cutting courses travel in parallel planes as in FiguresBand 5. f '1 In order `to complete the twisting of thelblades necessary to turn the cutting courses thereof into planes' parallel' with'theY longtudinallfaxis and .at-right anglesfto the transverse axis of the machine, vI utilize spaced series'of n'ge'rsi I2 land tively and extend through the slot 23, being rigidly secured to the llange 2 by the nuts in common use,l or other suitable means. When so mounted, the crossbars I3 and II may be moved up or down the desired distance within the limits of the slot 23 which may be made long enough to accommodate all sizes of bread.

When so constructed, the fingers I 2 and I 2- will act respectively as guides and supports for the bread while traveling through the cutting courses of the blades.

In order to provide for varying the lateral spacing of the cutting courses of the blades so as to cut slices of diierent thicknesses, instead of utilizing the xed ngers I2 and I2 shown in Figure 2, Ijpreier to utilize movable iingers I2 as shown inFigures 6 and '7.` Each finger is provided with a slot through which the cutting course of a blade .2l-22 may travel. These slots are preferablyT made wide enough to permit freetravel of the blade therein, but narrow enough to prevent'the blade getting out of line.

These lingers are preferably united to guideblocks of any desired form which may be slidably mounted upon any suitable support but I prefer to use annular guide-blocks 36 upon a shaft or crossbar 29. The shaft 29 has one end secured in a hub 8 which may be formed integralwith the side frame or may be mounted upon the bracket 26 or 26 as shown in Figure 2.

The crossbar 29 is provided with a longitudinal groove 38 adapted to receive the inner ends of pins 3l threaded or presstted in the guideblocks 33 to prevent revolution of the guide lblocks upon the crossbar 29.

The crossbar 29 may be prevented from turning in the hub 8 by a pin 30' or other suitable means. The guide-blocks 36 are provided with grooves -36 on one side thereof opposite `the ngers I2.

The hub 8 may be provided with an arm 34 the outer end ofy which carries a hub 35 and an enlarged annular block 30 may be mounted upon the crossbar 29 on the inside of the flange 2 and having an armv32 carrying a hub 33. In the hubs 35 and 33 an additional shaft or crossbar 28 is revolvably mounted the outer end of which is provided with a hand-wheel 36a securedthereto by a pin 39' by which the shaft 28 may be revolved in the hubs 35 and 33.

A plurality of guide members having hubs 39 are mounted upon the Yshaft 28 and may be rigidly secured thereto by pins 28. Each guide member comprises a wheel with a hub 39 and a thin disc 2l united thereto which may carry a rim 2l preferably circular in cross-section. The discs and rims of the guide members are mounted at regularly progressive angles relative to the crossbar 28, the innermost member preferably-having its rim 2l standing in a plane at right angles toy the crossbar, the succeeding members having their rims standing at such angles to the shaft 28 that when in their closest position of adjustment, the innermost portions of said rims will be spaced fromueach other Aon centers ,a distance equal to the minimum thickness of the slices of bread to be produced by the machine and that when turned in the oppositev position of adjustment, that is, when rotated one-half way around,

the innermost portions of said rims will be spaced from each other on centers a distance equal to the maximum thickness of the slices of bread to be sliced, but it is obvious that the lateral slope of the rim may progress all the way around the rim, if desired, instead of half way as shown by In Figure 6 the innermost guide-block 33 is omitted for clearness and a portion of the rim and disc of the second guide member is omitted to more clearly show the slot 33 in the second guide-block 3.6. In Figure 6 theV guide members are shown in the position of adjustment in which theywouldstand when the fingers I2 are spaced to guide the blades to cut slices of the maxlmum thickness permissible.

It is obvious that as the shaft 28 is revolved and carries with it the rims 2l of the guide members, these rims being inserted in the slots ofthe guide-blocks 36, will necessarily cause the guide-blocks and the fingers carried thereby to travel laterally to correspond with the angular position of the rims, and the spacing of the lingers may thereby be widened or narrowed simultaneously and uniformly. `It is likewise `quite apparent that when the. fingers move the blades laterally to change the spacing thereof, the blades will correspondinglyl shift laterally upon the carrying drums if, as intended by me, the change of adjustment is made while the drums are revolving.

When the hub 8 is mounted upon the bracket v 26', the arm 34 will be .united to the hub 3 in the same manner shown in Figure 6.

The slots 36 will be formed of suicient depth and of such' configuration as to permit the necessary maximurn travel of the guide-blocks 36 upon their support 29 and the relative proportions ci the slots 3G and the rims 2l may be varied as necessary to meet the requirements of any particular case. l

In the operation of my machine the blades 2 I--22 are mounted upon the carrying drums I3 and I9 and in contact with the guiding drums I5 and I'I and the blades may be either crossed as in Figure 4 or uncrossed as in Figures 3 and 5.

In this connection let it be noted that for convenience I shall refer to the portions of the blade traveling downwardly from the middle of one 'side of the upper outer drum to the middle of one side of the lower outer drum as the downward reaches and to the portion of the blade traveling upwardly from the middle of one side of the lower outer drumV to the middle of one side of the upper outer drum as the upward reaches. The terms downward reaches and upward reaches may also be used to apply to the portions ,of the blades traveling between the middle of the sides of the upper intermediate drum and the middle of the lower intermediate drum, when convenient. I shall also refer to the portion of the blades between and adjacent to the blade guide-assemblies as the cutting courses cf the blades.

When the blades are mounted upon the outer drums as indicated, it is obvious that the downward reaches of the blades will travel in lines spaced laterally from the upward reaches vof the blades by reason of the upper drums and the lower drums beingmounted at angles to the transverse axis of the machine;l and that very little guiding action will be required by the guide fingers because the diameter ofthe drums and the angle at which they are mounted will be so proportioned that the upward and downward reaches will be carried approximately at the desired distance from each other laterally. However, guides will be necessary to twist the cutting courses of the blades enough farther to make the cutting courses stand at right angles to the transverse axis of the machine. The guide-assemblies arethen secured in place at the desired height and distance from each other and from the inner drums.

As the drum I9 is revolved the traction ofthe blades upon the other drums will cause them to revolve at the same rate and as the blades pass from the inner drums to the guide-assemblies, the relative lateral inclination of the upper. and lower drums will place the blades at an acute angle to the transverse axis of the machine and thus reduce the amount of twisting action which it is necessary for the guides to exercise upon the blades.

By this arrangement, I not only reduce the wear upon the blades caused by the pressure of the guides, but also the crystallization of the blades which arises from twisting of theblades and which is proportionate to the extent of such twisting. By thus reducing theiwear due to contact with the guides and pressure of the guides, and by reducing the crystallization due to such pressure and to twisting of the blades the length of life of the blades will be substantially prolonged and by causing the upward and downward reaches of the blades to travel in approximately a common plane, uniform slicing action upon the bread is promoted and the diculties which might be encountered from irregularities in the contours of the loaves are reduced or eliminated.

The action of the laterally inclined drums in separating the upward and downward reaches of the blades laterally can be accomplished by having both the upper and lower drums inclined laterally either in the same or in opposite directions relative to the transverse axis of the machine, but in cases where the blades are run uncrossed as shown in Figures 3 and 5, it is preferable to have all of the drums laterally inclined in the same direction and in such cases the amount of. twisting required to turn the cutting courses into planes at right angles to the transverse axis of the machine may be reduced by the number of degrees of angle at which the drums are inclined relative to the transverse axis.

When it is desired to change the spacing of the cutting courses of the blades, the hand-wheel 36a is revolved, carrying with it the shaft 28 and the discs 21' and rims 21. The rims acting upon the guide-blocks 36 will move them laterally upon their support whether supported by the' crossbar 29 or otherwise, and the movement of all the guide-blocks 35 will be simultaneous and the spacing between them will at all times be uniform.

When turned to the desired extent, they may be locked in posit-ion by a set screw 35a or any other suitable means. i n

As the fingers l2" move laterally, they carry with them the blades 2|-22 and as the adjustment is made while the machine is running, the movement of the cutting courses of the blades will cause the blades to travel laterally along the drums a distance corresponding to the movement of their respective guide ngers.

Any of the tensioning devices in common use and may be utilized to loosen the blades so as to facilitate their movement along the drums. It is obvious that with this arrangement of guide-assemblies, a portion, such as one-half, of the guide members. may have their disc wheels and rims mounted at lesser angles than the other half sothat half of a loaf of bread might be sliced with narrower slices than the other half, if desired.

It is likewise obvious that Various forms of spacing apparatus may be utilized in connection with the angling drums.

y Any desired form of bread .chute or feed tables to carry the bread to or from the machine may be utilized 'with my invention and 'itmay be utilized and synchronized with a wrapping machine of any of the forms in common use.

This application covers a machine of the general class described in my co-pending application Serial No. 240,237 now maturedinto Patent No. 2,160,957. Y i

It is obvious that various modifications of my apparatus may be made without departing from the spirit of `my invention and I do not limit my f claims to the precise form shown or described.

I claim: p

l. A bread slicing machine comprising'a. base with` a supporting frame united thereto, upper and lower blade-carrying drums mounted in the frame spaced apart and extending transversely of the'machine inparallel planes buthaving their axes inclined laterallyl in opposite directions at an acute angle to the transversev axis of the machine, intermediate upper and lower blade-delecting drums revolvably mounted revolvably in the frame parallel to the outer upper and lower drums respectively and similarlyinclined laterally',1and a plurality of endless band-blades mounted upon the carrying drums and contacting the guiding drums intermediate the outer drums.

2. A bread slicing machine comprising a base with Aa supporting frame united thereto, upper lower blade-carrying drums. revolvably mounted in the frame spaced apart and extending transversely of the machine in parallel planes but having their axes inclined laterally at an acute angle to the transverse axis of the machine,

intermediate upper andv lower blade-deflectingv drums revolvably mounted in the frame parallel tothe outer upper and lower drums respectively and `similarly inclined laterally, and a plurality of endless band-.blades mounted upon the carrying drums and contacting the guiding drums intermediate the outer drums.

3. A bread slicing machine` as described in of approximately live degrees to the axis of the machine.

yli. A slicing machine as described inclaim 1, in combination with means .intermediate vthe detransverse fleeting drums, to twist the blades in their cut- "7. A structure as defined in claim 1, said intermediate drums.Y being slightly largerv atQthe 55 claim y1, said drums being mountedat an angle lil middle than at the ends andv regularly tapered from the middle toward both ends.

8. A structure as defined in claim 1, in combination with means intermediate the deflecting drums to twist and guide the blades in their cutting courses into uniformly spaced parallel relation and in planes extending' at right angles to the transverse axis of the machine, and means for simultaneously uniformly changing t'ne gauge of such twisting and guiding means.

9. A structure as .dened in claim l in combination with means intermediate the deflecting drums to twist and guide the blades in their cutting courses into uniformly spaced parallel relation and in planes extending at right angles to the transverse axis of the machine and with the cutting edges of all the blades throughout their cutting courses running approximately in a single transverse plane, and means for simultaneously uniformly changing the gaugeof such twisting and guiding means.

10. A spacing mechanism comprising a frame, a crossbar mounted thereon, a series of lguideblocks slidably mounted upon said crossbar, each of said guide-blocks carrying ak projecting slotted nger to receive, guide and twist a moving blade, a shaft revolvably mounted in the frame spaced from and parallel to the crossbar, a series of guide members correspondingin number to the guide-blocks rigidly mounted upon the shaft, each of said guide members including a wheel, the rim ofthe rstof said wheels standing at a right angle to the shaft and the succeeding wheel rims standing at progressively decreasing angles to the shaft, slots formed in the guideblocks to receive and co-act with the rims of the Wheels whereby when the shaft is revolved, the wheel rims will slide the guide-blocks along upon the crossbar and uniformly increase or decrease the spacing thereof.`

11. A spacing mechanism comprising a frame, a support mountedthereon, a series of guideblocks slidably mounted upon said support, each of said guide-blocks carrying a projecting slotted finger to receive and guide a blade or other thing to be spaced, a shaft revolvably mounted in the frame spaced from and parallel to the support, a series of guide members corresponding in number to the guide-blocks mounted upon the shaft, each of said guide members comprising a hub having united thereto a circular flangathe flanges of the succeeding guide members being arranged at progressively decreasing angles to the shaft, slots formed in the guide-blocks to receive and co-act .with the flanges of the guide members whereby when the shaft is revolved, the flanges will slide the guide-blocks along upon the crossbar and uniformly increase or decrease the spacing thereof.

12. The combination with a bread sliding machine as described in claim l, of a crossbar mounted on the frame spaced from the cutting courses of the biades, a series of guide-blocks slidably mounted upon said crossbar, each of said guide-blocks carrying a projecting slotted nger to receive, guide and twist a moving blade, a shaft 4revolvably mounted in the frame spaced from and parallel to the crossbar, a series of guide members corresponding in number to the guide-blocks rigidly mounted upon the shaft, each of said guide members including a wheel, the rim of the rst of said wheels standing at a right angle to the shaft and the succeeding wheel rims standing at progressively decreasing angles to the shaft, slots formed in the gui-de- .blocksit'o receive and co-act with the rims ofthe Wheels whereby when the shaft is revolved, the Wheel rims will slide the guide-blocks along upon the crossbar and uniformly increase or decrease the spacing thereof.

13. A bread slicing machine as described in claim 1 in combination with a spaced pair of guide assembliessupported by the frame intermediate the deecting drums, each assembly coinprising a support mounted on the frame, a series of` guide-blocks slidably mounted upon said support, each of said guide-blocks carrying a projecting slotted finger to receive and guide a blade, a shaft revolvably mounted in the frame spaced from and parallel to the support, a series of guide members corresponding in number to the guide blocks mounted upon the shaft, each of said guide members comprising a hub Vhaving united thereto a circular flange, the anges of the succeeding guide members being arranged at progressively decreasing angles to the shaft, slots formed in the guide-blocks to receive and co-act with the anges of the guide members whereby when the shaft is revolved, the flanges Will slide the guide-blocks along upon the crossbar and uniformly increase or decrease the spacing thereof.

14. In a spacing mechanism the combination with a frame of transverse supporting means mounted thereon, a series of guide-blocks slid- 9 ably mounted upon said supporting means, each of said guide-blocks carrying a projecting slotted finger to receive and guide a moving blade, a shaft revolvably mounted in the frame spaced from and parallel to the supporting means, a series of guide members corresponding in number to the guide-blocks rigidly mounted upon the shaft, each of said guide members including a wheel, the rim of the rst of said wheels standing at a right angle to the shaft and the succeeding wheel rims standing at progressively decreasing angles to the shaft, slots formed in the guideblocks to receive and co-act with the rims of the wheels whereby when the shaft is revolved, the Wheel rims will slide the guide-blocks along upon the crossbar and uniformly increase or decrease the spacing thereof.

15. A bread slicing machine as described in claim l in combination with a spaced pair of guide assemblies supported by the frame intermediate the deflectingdrums, each assembly comprising a support mounted on the frame, a series of guide-blocks slidably mounted upon said support, each of said guide-blocks carrying a projecting slotted nger to receive and guide a blade, a shaft revolvably mounted in the frame spaced from and parallel to the support, a series of guide members corresponding in number to the guideblocks mounted upon the shaft, each of said guide members comprising a hub having united thereto a circular fiange, the anges of the succeeding guide members being arranged at progressively decreasing angles to the shaft, slots formed in the guide-blocks to receive and co-act with the flanges of the guide members whereby when the shaft is revolved, the flanges will slide the guide-blocks' along upon the crossbar and uniformly increase or decrease the spacing thereof, and means for adjusting the spacing of the guide assemblies from the deflecting drums and from each other.

16. A bread slicing machine as described in claim 1 in combination with spaced adjustable means intermediate the deflecting drums to twist,

guide and space uniformly the blades in their cutting courses, whereby the blades when running may be caused to travel laterally upon the carrying drums to correspond to the lateral move-lv cutting courses, whereby the blades when running may be caused to travellaterally upon 4the carrying drums to correspond to the lateral Inovement of their cutting courses, and means to admeans.

just the spacing ofthe spaced means relatyeto each other and to the deflecting drums.

18. A .slicing machine as described in'claim l, in combination Withuniformly'adjustable spacing means arranged in twospaced series to space the cutting courses ofthe slicingfmeans intermediate the drums,said spacing meansgWnile being adjustable to change the srzacin'gthereofe also acting to automatically change the "spacingv -cf the slicing means upon the vpulleys to corre#- spend to the changed spacing o1l the spacing l HARRY J. CRINER. .f 

